The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School. School in The Middle of Nowhere? It Happens Only in India -Jaisalmer- Rajasthan

Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School is a girls’ school in the rural thar desert of Jaisalmer in northern India. The school is unique in that the architects designed it in the shape of an oval that can withstand temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius. The school can accommodate 400 girls from kindergarten to tenth grade. The school is aimed to provide education and training in traditional skill sets such as artistry, weaving, embroidery for women. Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School is designed by a New York based company Diana Kellogg Architects.

History
The school is named after “Ratnavati,” the Jaisalmer princess. She was the daughter of Maharawal Ratan Singh.

School uniform
Sabyasachi Mukherjee designed the school uniform doing Ajrak, a local printing technique similar to printing.

Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School Courtyard
Architecture
Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School is located in the rural region surrounding Jaisalmer, near the hamlet of Kanoi. Its architecture is unique and distinctive, featuring an oval-shaped building amidst the desert landscape. The elliptical shaped structure, angled towards the prevailing winds, is designed to effectively circulate cool air and symbolizes femininity, aligning with the project’s ethos. Jaisalmer stonemasons built the school out of precut golden sandstone. Kellogg, the designer and architect of the school, refers to it as “a big, tight hug.” Oval geometry of the school symbolizes the strength of women.

Building material
Kellogg employed traditional methods in the design of the structure, one of which was the application of lime plaster on the interior walls. Lime plaster is a natural, porous material that has a cooling effect. Additionally, she incorporated a jali wall into the design, which is a sandstone grid that promotes acceleration of wind through the Venturi effect.[11] The school is made of local yellow sandstone that was handcrafted by local artisans. The building is designed in a way that it does not require the use of air conditioning.

Building
The school is one of three buildings in the complex known as the “Gyaan Centre.”

The Medha Hall-The Medha Hall is an area designated for a library and a museum, and a space for performances and art exhibitions for local crafts such as textiles. The women could learn local weaving and embroidery techniques.
The courtyard has a rainwater harvesting facility.

Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School Courtyard